The End of Summer *Revised*
by Jason Wong
Summary: The earth is in chaos as Apocalymon goes on a rampage and conquers the world. Can the resistance beat him? Later, one digidestined makes a fatal error, can he correct it? Does he even want to? Find out. Please Read & Review. *Revised*
1. The End of Summer *Revised*

The End of Summer   


The End of Summer  
Created By: Jason Wong  


  
  
This fic has been revised and lengthened with a few more/expanded scenes. There's a bit more added at the end to assist with the transition to the sequal. I added about 18kb to the file length.   
  
Notes: The episode "The fate of two worlds" is titled "The end of summer" in Japan. Now this fic is based on several assumptions.  
1. The battle with Apocalymon failed.  
2. The digidestined have split up, and are living in different areas, hiding, etc.  
3. The digimon have been tossed around, separated from their partners. Some have made their way back to their respective humans. This fic happens in the future.   
  
Now, onto the story.   
  
  
  
An explosion filled the sky. Sirens filled the air with noise as a single fleeting figure was seen running from the compound. Shouts issued as burly guards and digimon chased after the person.   
  
"Stun him!" shouted a guard.   
  
Small pocks indicated the firing of tranquilizers. One hit home and the figure staggered. He collapsed in the street. Flashlights revealed a stocky blond haired figure. The guards were quick to pick up the male human prisoner and drag him away.   
  
In the shadows of a building, an older person dressed in night camouflage fatigues. A tear rolled down their cheek. A digimon stood next to him. "TK, I'll rescue you if it's the last thing I do."   
  


* * *

  
Matt Ishida slunk through the sewer system, this isn't something he'd normally have ever done, not with this war going on. He had refused to take part in the clash. True, he was a digidestined, and it was his responsibility, but he couldn't stand all the death and horror he'd been forced to witness, he needed a break. But, he'd received news from traveling nomads and digimon that occasionally passed by his out of the way run down diner that a massive rebellion had sprung up in Tokyo in the past year. News that the rebellion group hiding in the sewers was led by Takeru Takaishi, his brother. And even though TK was all grown up now, Matt still wanted to make sure he was ok.   
  
"Halt!" called a voice. "Turn around slowly, hands in the air."   
  
Matt grimaced, he'd been caught. He prayed that it was just some gang who wanted supplies. He slowly turned and found himself starring down the shaft of a machine gun. This was definitely not a gang, the weapons were to well taken care of, there was too much organization to the area, and he hadn't seen anyone else in the sewers the whole time he'd been there. No, this had to be a rebel cell, and there was only one united faction hanging out in the sewers. Matt decided to take a gamble. If he was right, things would turn out fine. If he was wrong though....   
  
"My name is Yamato Ishida, I want to see your leader Takeru Takaishi. My younger brother." said Matt slowly.   
  
The guard nodded to someone just outside of Matt's vision. This couldn't possibly be a good sign. Was it possible that he'd just cost himself big time? Matt's vision blurred suddenly as a flare ignited in his face. His eyes burned from the onslaught of smoke and blaring light. He felt a prick in his upper arm, as a hypodermic needle punctured his epidermis. His legs gave out and he slumped to the ground powerless as blackness took him. His last coherent thought was "I'm sorry TK, I'd hoped too much that it would have been your army."   
  
Sometime later, Matt awoke to faint light. It appeared at least, that he was in some sort of structure, possibly in a building. He wasn't dead, that was a good sign. At least he prayed it was. He had heard rumours that some gangs had turned to cannibalization to get food. Then he noticed that he was wearing a different set of clothing than he had been wearing in the sewers. Now he was wearing an orange smock. It was a one piece jump suit with a zipper running down the back, and it blared a very loud reflective orange. Perfect to be spotted by trigger happy guards and anyone else who bothered to look, Matt noted sadly. There was also a small IV in his arm slowly dripping some chemical into his bloodstream. But he was still quite woozy from his previous encounter with civilization, or what was left of it, and was unable to pull it out. Matt figured it was what was causing him to be lightheaded. It was an excellent chemical because he was as weak as a newborn kitten and there was no need to have a guard constantly watch him. The door to his room clicked open and two hulking figures walked through the threshold. He could see they were wearing green camo outfits with armbands around their left elbows. But what perplexed Matt was that they were two different bands. When they got close enough, he could make out that one was a dull, dirty orange that didn't reflect light too well, and that the other one was a dark yellow. Yet they were both were emblazoned with the crest of hope. The two men lifted Matt from the bed and assisted him through the hallways. More like dragged since Matt wasn't able keep pace, but they took no notice of that. They passed many people, most were wearing the dark yellow armbands, but a few were wearing the orange coloured ones. They arrived at a large chamber which Matt estimated could easily fit several hundred men. No way a sewer could house this many people, they must be inside. Matt has hoisted off the ground and strapped to a stone table. A second injection was administered, and though Matt didn't know exactly what it was, he guessed that it was some form of truth serum, they were going to question him. Of course, it's not like they wouldn't, they didn't know him, and he had probably come at a bad time. Good god, if this was TK's idea of a joke, it sure wasn't funny. But this worried Matt further, where was TK? This had to be his rebellion, who else would use the crest of hope as their symbol?   
  
There was a small commotion erupting just outside of the chamber. By the sounds of it, there was a heated argument going on out there. Matt turned his head, trying to see what was going on. Was it TK? No it couldn't be, the person didn't sound right. However, the person who was obviously the cause of the commotion did sound oddly familiar. Matt just couldn't figure out from where. He'd seen and heard allot of people in recent years as they passed by.   
  
"Sir, I don't think it would be wise... I mean he should be questioned, he could be working for the enemy." said a voice quite irritably. "With the commander away, we can't loose any more command personnel."   
  
"I think it's safe, I happen to know him, at least if is who he claims to be." said the other person. "It's not like he's dangerous. He's sedated and strapped down. What's he going to do? Hey, guy, are you by chance Yamato Ishida of the digidestined?"   
  
"Yes." Matt found himself answering without even thinking about it. It was freaky that a simple combination of chemicals could do that to someone.   
  
"Why are you here?" asked another voice.   
  
"Too see my brother Takeru Takaishi." replied Matt.   
  
"Are you bugged? Are you wearing any communication of tracking devices?" asked the voice again.   
  
"No." said Matt blandly.   
  
"Enough with the questions, I've heard enough. Didn't you guys scan him when you got him? It's not like every single person who wanders into the sewers looking for refuge is a traitor to the human race." said the first voice voice. "Send him over to my quarters at once. If you're so worried then give him a sedative before you send him in."   
  
"T-Tai?" asked Matt.   
  
"Don't worry Matt, you're in good hands, we've got allot of catching up to do." said Tai. "Some of it you really won't like."   
  
Rough hands undid the restraints and pulled him away. Matt only got a fleeting glimpse of Tai's wild brown hair before he was shoved out of the room.   
  
"Treat him nice." shouted Tai as he was taken away again.   
  


* * *

  
Matt was mad, he had every right to be, but he knew that he shouldn't be. It was a war, nothing good ever came from war, and it wasn't like it was anyones fault, but he had to direct his anger somewhere. And that somewhere was at Tai. He would have pounded Tai into the ground for not looking after TK, but couldn't. His guards hadn't thought it would be a good idea to turn him loose so they'd drugged him up with more sedatives.   
  
"Look, it's not my fault." said Tai. "He got a report that you were a POW in that facility. We think he tried to break in alone. We haven't heard from him. I mean really, it was stupid relying on unconfirmed intelligence, but I guessed you were worth it. You should be happy that you still share a deep bond with your sibling. I've been out of touch with Kari. I don't ever know where she is or how she's doing."   
  
"Then send your blasted army. You should have been more responsible! I mean, TK is still just a kid." said Matt.   
  
"Look, he's in charge, I explained this already. It's TK's army. I have mabey a dozen guys under my direct control." said Tai. "I didn't even see the reports until TK left. It's not as though I've got any official power. I'm not even sure if he's at the same POW camp anymore."   
  
"So, you're our almighty leader, and yet you have no power?" sneered Matt in amazement. "What happened to wonder Tai? The invincible fearless bearer of courage?"   
  
"Even leaders get tired of leading after a while, everyone needs a break once in a while." retorted Tai. "I am in unofficial control now that TK's gone missing in action, but I can't just issue commands that would affect anything other than the internal workings of the organization. I'm just supposed to make sure the place doesn't collapse in his absence."   
  
Matt was about to shout at Tai when an intercom blared to life. "All personnel are to report to the main chamber immediately for the viewing of Takeru's sealed orders."   
  
"Sealed orders? How come I didn't know about those? It's not like we kept secrets from each other. You know, he always looked up to me for advice." murmured Tai to himself. Matt pretended not to hear him. "Come on Matt, let's go. You might as well see your brother, even if it's not in person. You can lean on me until the drugs wears off."   
  
The two made their way down to the central chamber. Tai made sure Matt was seated before trying to find out what was going on. The person who was apparently in charge of the fiasco handed Tai an envelope. Inside were two laser disk and a letter from Takeru. The letter read:  


Since you are reading this, then I've been missing in action for more than 48 hours. This is not unpredicted, but it is a problem for my master plans. The laser disks enclosed in this package contains important, no, crucial orders and information. Please play the labeled one to the troops. It's very important that everyone follow the orders. 

Takeru Takaishi 
Tai inserted the laser disk into the central projector. Immediately TK's image was projected high in the air above the crowd. Matt was amazed at how little he seemed to have changed throughout the war. His eyes still radiated the hope that one day, the war would be over and that humankind would find a new peace.   
  
"If you are seeing this, then I am missing. Chances are I've been captured by enemy forces during a mission." said TK. "Therefore, I am appointing a leader who will assume total control of the organization. You will follow them as if they were myself. Cody, I know you to be a trusted friend and a reliable commander in battle. Please accept this promotion until my return. Continue on as before, use the information on the other laser disk to prepare for the difficult task that you'll be forced to carry out. Cody, unfortunately, your first official act as leader of the organization is to arrest acting commander Taichi Kamiya. He is to be place under house arrest."   
  
Tai stood there with his mouth hanging open. He was still in mute shock when the guards gently locked him in his chamber. Matt tagged along with Tai since he didn't really anyone else in the whole facility. When the door was securely locked behind them, Tai swore loudly. "I can't believe he did that to me. Of all people. Doesn't he trust me at all?"   
  
"Tai, calm down, please." said Matt. Truthfully he was a little more than shocked at TK's actions. He'd expected his pals to change over the years, no one could stay the same during this war, but he hadn't anticipated that they'd have changed this much. He never would have expected TK to order Tai's arrest. TK saw Tai as another brother, he looked up to him. Truthfully Tai had been there when Matt had scurried away. And Tai, Tai looked ready to kill. Tai had never gotten quite this angry in all the time Matt had known him. At least, Matt had never seen Tai this enraged before.   
  
But Tai would not calm down. No, he was beside himself in rage. Instead he got up, walked over to a small safe and violently punched in an access code. Tai whipped out a video cassette and jammed it into the machine before plunking down on the couch to watch.   
  
"Tai." said TK's image on the TV. "Since you're watching this video, I've probably gone missing and have had you arrested."   
  
Tai let loose a flurry of insults at the screen as if by doing so, TK would hear him.   
  
"I'll ignore your rude comments Tai." said TK smiling. "Please realize that all this is for your own good as well as for the good of my army. I'm betting you'd have either seized command and launched a rescue attempt, or come on your own. Despite your good intentions, I'm expendable, what's important is that we continue preparing for a counterstrike."   
  
"Gah." said Tai. "Am I so predictable now? Is it really so easy to guess how I'll respond to a situation?"   
  
"I also know that you can easily escape the complex from your room. Because you'll probably leave despite what I feel would be best, goto 18396 in the old odiba district. It's a safe house and there will be supplies and a few useful other things I'm sure you'll like. I'm going to ask you once again not to rescue me, but I don't think you'll listen to me anyway. So be warned, if you leave, my troops will terminate you on sight. You'll be branded as a traitor and a spy. You know far too much information for me to let you get caught as well."   
  
The video ended at this point. "I'm going." was all Tai said.   
  
"Didn't you hear him?" asked Matt. "You'll be killed."   
  
"TK knows me. Mabey a bit too well. We all have our little quirks. Over the years, I've been trying to track down the rest of our group. I mean, the more of use who end up together, the better the chances for humanity. I found TK first, and with him Joe who is leading a revolt in the digital world. We hooked up with Mimi a while ago. She's assisting rebellion in America. And now I've found you. Kari's sent me postcards through the different resistance groups, she's alive and well, but she won't tell me where she is or what she's doing. And I've heard rumors about how Izzy, and Sora have met up with their digimon and wreaked havoc in different places. In a year or two, we might have the power to finally defeat Apocalymon and end the terror. Stay here if you want, but I'm going. The world can't afford to lose it's hope."   
  
"I'm coming. He's my brother. It's my job to make sure he's all right." said Matt in a tone that implied he thought Tai was crazy for ever implying that he wasn't coming.   
  
They left discreetly, right after lunch was served. As Tai had mentioned, they all had little quirks, and it seemed that TK had arranged to let them slip out. Matt questioned the validity of TK video message. They went out a back tunnel and immediately hit the surface. The sewers would be far to dangerous from that point on if TK had informed his troops of the revised order. They ran into a couple of fights along the way, but neither side took notice of them. They were too busy fighting each other, and it wasn't like they had any supplies that anyone could use. However, they had been forced to hide on several occasions as gangs clashed with digimon because Matt's flashy clothes would be sure to attract the attention of one of Apocalymon's cell divisions. One such fight had gone on less than a foot from their hiding spot. They managed to get to Odiba fairly quickly, but Tai had seemed to have gotten sluggish. His reflexes has dulled since the start of their journey, he wasn't as attentive and Matt suspected he'd been hit with a tranquilizer at some point along their journey. It was apparent when he collapsed in the doorway of their destination. Matt, fearing that they'd be shot there in the street, pushed open the door and pulled Tai through.   
  
*CLICK*   
  
Matt froze, even he could tell what the click was. Someone had just cocked a gun. Not that he needed the click to know what it was because he also felt it against his temple. Why was it that he always met people when they poked guns at him. This was not the way to live on earth if you wanted to last more than a week. All you needed was one trigger happy gunman to end it all.   
  
"Hmm, orange jump suit, flashy. You're either very stupid or a prisoner of the rebel's army. And I'm sure you aren't stupid enough to wear flashy clothes in this day and age. I don't know how you found this place but I'll have to eliminate you to maintain it's secrecy." said a voice.   
  
"Don't, he's with me. He's not part of the fight." mumbled Tai.   
  
"And just who are you?" asked the voice. Obviously not impressed.   
  
"Tai... Taichi Kamiya of the hope army. Leader of the specialists under Takeru Takaishi." said Tai weakly.   
  
"Taichi?" faltered the voice. Matt sensed the momentary weakness and lashed out. But to his dismay, the gun exploded with a tremendous force and Matt dropped to the floor and he was impacted in the head violently.   
  
"Oh my god." shouted the attacker realizing just who Matt was. "Oh god, what have I done, Matt, I'm so sorry."   
  
"It's ok Sora." said Matt rubbing his temple. "At least the bullet missed. The sandbag was much less deadly, if not more painful."   
  
"Well, welcome to my humble abode. Make yourself welcome if that's even possible during this war. But I have a question, why are you dragging Tai around anyway? And why are you wearing a prisoner's outfit? Didn't TK treat you well?" asked Sora.   
  
"I think Tai was hit by a tranquilizer while we were sneaking over here. And TK's gone missing, captured by Apocalymon's forces, no one but Tai knew who I was so I was taken prisoner. TK left instructions to have Tai arrested and killed if he left so we're fugitives." replied Matt.   
  
"What? Oh, I get it now, so that's what TK meant. Don't worry Matt, that was just to keep you on your toes. He actually probably wanted you to get here, at least he told me that Tai might show up thinking he was being hunted, but not to worry about it. Tai'll come around just as soon as the medication passes through his system. That shouldn't be more than an hour mabey." said Sora   
  
"This is quite a setup you've got here. Did TK help establish this base?" asked Matt after they'd taken care of Tai, and gotten some less conspicuous clothing for Matt.   
  
"Yeah, we're gearing up for an all out assault against Apocalymon." said Sora. "We've got grenades, rifles, M16s, laser cannons and some other things. It's going to be the final assault."   
  
"Boy, you really are going all out. The final assault? What happens if we lose? I mean this is impressive, but hardly enough to stop an invasion." said Matt.   
  
"This is the tip of the iceberg Matt." said Sora. "We've shipped crates of stuff everywhere. TK and Joe have been in close contact. We've captured some subs that are hiding in the south pacific, several fighter squadrons have defected to us, and there have been shipments of unmarked crates to everywhere. TK's been planning something big. We've got the power to jam or even override all radio and satellite communication worldwide whenever we need to. If we lose the upcoming battle, Japan may no longer be fit to live in."   
  
"You have all this power, why not use it? Coordinate an attack. I mean, aren't you ready yet? People and digimon are dying by the minute out there." said Matt.   
  
"We would, but no one has the access codes to the damn command chamber. It's the central location from which the attack command can be issued. It's preset to activate after the proper sequence of codes are issued, but no one except TK seems to know who has those codes." said Sora. "I was hoping that mabey one of you knew the command codes to this place so we could launch.   
  
"Couldn't you break in? You have the tools, the firepower to break in." said Matt bluntly. "You could end this damn war now. Just use a grenade or something to blow up the door."   
  
"If it were that simple, we would. But TK built and designed this place." said Sora. "That corridor is blast angled. If we shoot any explosives down the hallway, the blast would come strait back at you. Plus the walls are made of nine inch re-enforced titanium. A blast large enough to break down the door would destroy the control chamber. And even if we somehow miraculously got in without damaging any of the equipment, we don't have the launch codes."   
  
"And only TK knows the codes?" asked Matt.   
  
"We're not absolutely sure. It might be TK. But he said the person would arrive in the world's darkest hour." said Sora. "It could be anyone. TK probably knows the codes, but there's a scanner set to a particular hand print, so even he might not be able to get in. It's a security precaution. On the other hand, the amount of codes you'd need to get past the final security locks are so enormous, that there is no way one could possibly memorize them all without years of practice so that they can type them on instinct alone."   
  
At that moment a light started to flash on a computer panel. This was followed shortly by another. Sora pressed a button which turned on a monitor.   
  
"We have intruders." said Sora. "But it looks like they're just a bunch of street rats looking for shelter. And something big is going down on the news so they can wait. How good's your english Matt?"   
  
"Ummm, I know a bit. What we learnt in school. It's been enough to get by, I didn't get many customers who spoke English at my diner." said Matt.   
  
"It's probably enough. I won't bother translating it for you." said Sora. She clicked the another button bringing up a newscast.   
  
"Troops from Japan, Asia, and Africa have attacked and demolished Australia, and key South American bases. Sources also report that all U.N. and NATO installation across Europe have been eradicated by superior forces." said a US reporter. "Resistances in Russia are confirmed crushed and major sections of the costal US have been occupied."   
  
"Shit." said Sora. "If these reports are true, then only North America has defense worth a damn. And Canada's military defense is pretty bad. It's a good thing that the US allied with them."   
  
"This just in." said the reporter. "Satellite imagery has confirmed a loss of all communications with major military forces and installations across Europe and Australia. All forces across the continent have mobilized. The Dew line (Radar stations across arctic Canada which were built to detect Soviet bombers or planes flying over the arctic circle trying to bomb US cities.) has expanded detection radius significantly, and all missile launchers have been put on alert. An announcement released earlier also indicates that the United States President along with the joint chiefs and congress has ordered the immediate activation of all nuclear weapons and orbital defense platforms. This move is said to have been protested by the Canadian prime minister who says that the level of force mobilized could wipe out all life on the planet and that widespread resistances have been active throughout Japan. However, little action has been see as of late."   
  
"Nuclear weapons? Like when they bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki?" asked Matt in disbelief. "They're all crazy, don't they realize how much damage that'll do? Are they trying to destroy the planet?"   
  
A tremendous blast knocked the two people off their feet as a grenade blew a wall down. Enemy troops began to pour through the hole in the wall. Sora was in action instantly. Matt was horrified. The once sensitive young lady who held the crest of love had been replaced with some battle hardened warrior. Troops fell left right and center as Sora blasted away with a mini gun. Matt looked up and saw a sniper. Before he could shout warning, a dart hit his leg and delivered it's payload. The last thing Matt saw before passing out was blood splattering all over the place as troops howled in pain or anger as Sora attacked viciously with no remorse.   
  


* * *

  
Matt awoke to find himself chained up, suspended about a foot off the ground. The chains were angled so that he was positioned vertically shaped like the letter X. Looking to either side, there were people, more prisoners of war he guessed. To his left, he saw Tai splayed up in a similar fashion to himself. On the other side, was... TK! Both his close friends appeared to be asleep. But TK looked absolutely horrible. His shirt had been torn to shreds, blood oozed slowly from his many wounds. Where there weren't cuts, there were black bruises and welts. His hair lay limp on his head, flecks of blood had turned it a sickening dull red, and Matt could only wonder what type of horrible torture he'd been through. He may have been the leader of a powerful revolutionary army, but even a human had their limits. But none of the marks were fresh, he obviously hadn't been beaten recently, in fact, it looked as though he'd only been beaten once. Once, but it must have been savage. If they were willing to do this to someone so young, to cut them down in their prime, Matt could barely grasp at what they might do to him and Tai, older, heartier people who could take more punishment. And where had Sora vanished of to? He could remember her fighting off dozens of guards before he had collapsed.   
  
Matt strained his ears and heard a faint clicking sound coming from behind him. The sound grew louder, and then finally stopped. Then without so much as a warning, it started. Matt cried out in pain as something lashed at his back. A whip. He could feel it slicing it's way through his thin shirt, ripping the material to shreds. He could feel the trickle of blood as his clothes mixed with the blood flowing from his open wounds. He screamed like a wounded and trapped animal. The torturer seemed to find great pleasure in this and continued relentlessly. The brutal lashing continued for only a few minutes, but to Matt, it was an eternity. No human should ever be subjected to such atrocities as he had been. The torturer demanded access codes, but Matt didn't know any and got lashed more. Just before they left, Matt was told that unless someone produced the information, he'd be lashed into the ground. It wasn't long after, that TK awoke from his deep slumber.   
  
"Hi Matt. It's good to see you after so long." he said in a cheerful voice, although Matt could tell it was forced cheer. His brother had always tried to lift up his spirits if he'd been feeling down.   
  
"What'd they do to you? Are they still beating you? I'll make them all pay for this." asked Matt, his voiced echoed with deep concerned.   
  
"Well, nothing anymore. I got one beating before they discovered my suicide implants." said TK. "They stopped after that because they can't pump me for my information."   
  
"What? What's a suicide implant?" asked Matt.   
  
"It's a biochip, it senses my thought process and lets me destroy my neurological pathways at will. I'd become a vegetable if I use it. They probably scanned you when they caught you." said TK. "Now it's a war of minds."   
  
"Is that why they're beating me and not Tai?" asked Matt.   
  
"Probably, I had implants put in Tai even though he doesn't know too much about them. They probably detected then and assumed the worst. Most senior rebels have these implants, it's procedure." said TK. "But you don't have any information to give. They're trying to get me to give up information by hurting you."   
  
The flogging went on for days. Only Tai remained unscathed. But only physically, mentally, Matt knew he was pretty bad off, dying even. So was TK. They were both forced to watch, helpless as Matt was beaten and tortures in horrible ways. The images etched into their minds forever. But the one thing that probably did the most damage to Tai's mental state was when Sora was brought in, dead. Tai had to watch her corpse for days as it was slowly eaten by rats and insects. But Tai had become far stronger than Matt could have imagined and survived the horrible mental assaults. Or mabey he just wanted revenge so much for his only love that he found the strength to survive.   
  
Matt shivered, the foreboding clicking of steel boots was drawing ever nearer once again. They'd picked up the pace after the first week and now he was being whipped several times a day. His wound's didn't have time to close so they just wrapped him in synthetic flesh so he'd stay alive. He had cuts on cuts, bruise on bruise and Matt wondered if his wounds would even heal if the beating stopped. The dreadful clicking stopped and Matt steeled himself for the immanent round of whipping he was about to receive. But the pain never came. Instead, a loud report issued forth as as gunpowder exploded violently. A single bullet flew through the air. There was a distinct thump as it entered the flesh of a living body. Matt was beyond shock, he couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Next thing he knew, a laser torch was slicing through his bonds. When he finally got down, he collapsed in a pile and managed to finally great the mysterious stranger who had aided them.   
  
"Who the hell are you?" asked Tai, voicing their obvious question.   
  
"Daisuke Motimiya. But call me Davis." said Davis. "And don't think I'm here as part of your little resistance. I'm here because Kari loves him," at this point he shoves his finger in TK's direction. "and I'd never forgive myself if I could have done something. I love her more than life itself, and for her, I'd do anything she wanted."   
  
"Who cares about why you're here now. Let's get out of here before their security forces mobilize." piped Tai.   
  
They left quickly, it was slow going. Davis was forced to carry TK, and Tai tried to carry Matt. But having not used his legs in such a long time, Tai was forced to lean on Davis to get out. They headed out back to the mini base. It looked as though it had been an in and out operation, just shoot and grab. The news was even still on, no one had bothered to switch off the monitors.   
  
"Japanese resistance was reported crushed today as enemy troops went on a major offensive and stormed the sewers. Conflict worldwide have escalated and the president has announce that if the fighting continues, the whole country of Japan will be demolished. Japan has been the epicenter of conflict since the start of the war. Many believe that it should have been destroyed back when the treat wasn't as great. May go forgive us, this is humanity's darkest hour." said the reporter. "We'll have more every hour, on the hour."   
  
"It's time." said TK. "We must strike now or face total destruction."   
  
"But the codes...." said Matt. "We need the codes. Do you have the codes?"   
  
"I don't have the codes." said TK. "But Tai knows them all."   
  
"What?!" demanded everyone.   
  
"Tai, why didn't you tell us you knew the codes? We could've ended this weeks ago." demanded Matt.   
  
"But, I don't know any of the friggin codes." said Tai. "You never gave me any codes to remember. Certainly not ones that were complex enough to be the launch codes.."   
  
"I had the codes implanted in your brain. They're biochips chips that are disguised as suicide chips." said TK. "They operate on your subconscious level, but you have in effect, every access command code in the whole resistance."   
  
"But-but I can't remember them. I can't possibly remember them, I haven't memorized the codes." stammered Tai.   
  
"I said that it was subconscious Tai. Don't think about it. No human could memorize all the necessary codes." said TK. "You'll know, just act on instinct and let your hands do the work."   
  
Tai unsure of himself, slowly walked up the massive doors. He placed his left hand on a scanner plate while he closed his eyes and punched in codes on an adjacent access panel. A small beam of red light went up and down Tai's hand before the whole plate flashed green. The massive doors rumbled open slowly and Tai could tell they were of immense weight. He was about to enter the room when he was interrupted by an explosion which rocked the building. It looked like the prison guards had found them.   
  
"Get in there and save the world." shouted Matt as he shoved Tai into the command chamber. Tai stumbled forward before whipping around to look at Matt. But even as he turned, Matt slammed his hand down on the button to seal off the room.. "Do your thing Tai. We'll hold 'em off for as long as possible. The world's seen enough pain already."   
  
Tai sat down in the chair before him and looked at the various monitors. He felt intimidated by the small room. It's not everyday you hold the fate of the world in your subconscious. Stressed from the quick escape from prison, Tai stared at the monitors as they displayed the status off all the world's armies. One monitor showed the battle in the corridor as it raged on. TK, Matt and Davis fought with incredible strength, but Matt was still bleeding and was weakening fast, TK and Davis had bunkered down on either side of the corridor and shot as the enemies rushed their positions. Bullets bounced around and canisters of gas rolled down the corridor as both sides fought to the death. Tai pulled his eyes from the screen and laid his hands on the control panel. TK had said it would all come naturally to him, so he closed his eyes and relaxed. As if by their own accord, his hands began quickly punching in commands that he never knew, or at least thought he never knew. It was like a conditioned reflex, like checking for danger. His hands danced the keyboard like a pianist played a piano. The movements felt natural. It was like a reaction, he wasn't even aware what he punching in anymore. But finally, after several heart pounding minutes, the screen began flashing information as his commands were executed and carried out.   
  
Accessing Ground Sat.............Done  
Opening Digital Gate.......... ..Done  
Establishing Space Com Sat.......Done  
Establish Com Network............Done  
Transmitting Confirmation Codes..Done  
Receiving Reply..................Done  
Awaiting Final Command Code......    
  
Tai stared blankly at the screen. He had no idea what the final code was, his mind was blank. He watched as the battle raged on outside. He saw his friends lying stunned on the ground as enemy troops advanced on them. This was it, the moment of truth. He had to do this, if not for his friends in the corridor, then for his revenge. No, not revenge, salvation. Revenge was meaningless, a blind rage, he wanted to make sure that the deaths of the thousands, no millions of people fighting Apocalymon would not be in vain.   
  
"I can't let it end like this." thought Tai. "I need to relax and get a grip. Just go with the flow and type what comes naturally, what's the worst that could happen?"   
  
Tai reached into the farthest recesses of his mind, into a state of total equilibrium. His body relaxed itself as he let go of his worries and insecurities. His hands moved fluidly as they raced across the keyboard. When Tai finally opened his eyes again, he saw what he'd written, what his subconscious believed to be the final command.   
  
Final Attack Command:............  
The End of Summer  
Incorrect code will result in user termination  
Confirm command code? (Y/N)    
  
Was it the right code? Did he trust himself enough to say yes? Could typing no end all chances of humanity to ever win this loosing battle? His own life was inconsequential to this monumental event. There was no turning back. To quit would be to die, to continue, to survive. Tai placed all his trust and courage into TK's skill as a programmer and prayed he had gotten the code right. If not... well, he wouldn't be around long enough to see mankind's fate. He typed Yes.   
  
Confirm command code? (Y/N) YES  
Processing Command...............Done  
Commencing Attack, Deactivate Final Safety Switch.    
  
Tai looked around and saw a large flashing switch above him next to a glowing red button. Carefully, he lifted the switch's cover before flicking it to the active position. As he flipped it up, the button next to it glowed brighter. Tai hesitated only a second before slamming his hand onto the button. He could hear the whir as transmitters came online. The orders were out, the final attack had begun.   
  


* * *

  
In the weeks that followed, the world lay in total chaos. Troops from Apocalymon's army were revolting worldwide. As fast as they could recover, U.N. troops and rebel forces began taking back their world. The war was finally coming to an end. Digimon were returning to the digital world, repopulating the land, and driving back what little resistance there was. In a few days, all the digimon would leave earth behind and say goodbye to it's adoptive homeland. The gateways to the digiworld would be resealed as a new reign of digidestined would take over the task of keeping the worlds stable and to maintain the balance of power between light and darkness. But world losses were heavy, casualties were already estimated at one billion and rising. Those figures didn't even include the brave digimon who had fought to the death, deleted without recovery somewhere on earth. Their numbers couldn't even be totaled, there were no bodies, and some people wondered if humanity could ever recover from the ashes of the old world and start anew. But losses in Japan were enormous by far, much of the industry had been destroyed, much of the populace had been killed. The war had started, spread and ended in Japan. Apocalymon had fought to the bitter end only to be destroyed when a fighter accidentally crashed into the computer core where he'd stored his program. Even the rebels had come out in bad shape, and not all before the war ended. TK had died from trauma involving nerve gas days after the final assault. Sora, already dead had been buried in the massive Japanese Memorial Cemetery which had been erected over the ashes of the destroyed city. A face lost in the crowd of graves that ran for miles on end. Cody, acting rebel leader had been executed by revolting virus digimon as they retreated from the ruined city. Everyone else that Tai knew simply vanished into the woodwork. Matt and some of his close rebel friends just vanished after the war, no one knew where they went and no one cared in the confusion. Davis however remained by Tai's side even after the war ended. Tai had leant that Davis had a digimon. He'd been selected as a digidestined shortly after the war began by unseen forces. Veemon was his digimon, but Davis had hidden the digimon away while he rescued them. Being a digidestined during the war was grounds for death by Apocalymon and most people were leery about digimon calling all humans with them traitors. Davis was a digidestined now and forever. But first was the brutal search for lost friends. Both Tai and Davis went in search of their families through the massive Red Cross assistance lots which had been set up throughout Japan and the world. Tai's search turned up in vain, but he had located Kari. She was just as important, if not more so than his own parents. She lay in coma, but she was still alive. She'd been pulled from a collapsed building which had been hit by a stray bomb. Davis managed to locate his family. They'd been killed days before the conflict ended as Apocalymon began to secretly purge all humans in his massive prisons.   
  
Before his death, Tai had asked Takeru why he'd chosen the final code to be "The End of Summer". TK had replied that it was because it fit what he thought would happen after the war. The end of summer signified the beginning of fall, where the trees cast off their leaves and prepare for spring. The world would shed it's bloody conflict and prepare to start anew, a world that was unified and without wars. And he was right, the world was unified, already countries were beginning joint worked to aid all countries. Tai hopped that TK's dream of ending all wars would be true. Takeru, more than anyone blazed with hope. He'd died in Tai's arms as they watched Kari, a benevolent smile on his face. One might think by looking at him, that he was the only human not affected by the war. And Tai was happy for TK, he'd found his inner peace.   
  
"Tai, I never told her you know." said TK shortly before his death. "I never told Kari my feelings for her before the war separated us."   
  
"I think she knew, that's why she was headed back here before the war ended." said Tai. "It's unfortunate that well, that this happened."   
  
"I just wish I could have told her in person." replied TK. "At least have some confirmation that she knew."   
  
"Love cuts across all boundaries." said Tai. "But, she confided her feelings for you in one of her letters, you never needed to tell her."   
  
"Mabey it's just as well that it turned out like this. It would crush her to find me only to loose my after only a short time together." said TK   
  
"I think she would rather have been with you for just those few days than to never have seen you at all." said Tai.   
  
"I guess... I guess you're right." said TK. The silence was deep.   
  


* * *

  
With only Kari left to bind them together, Davis and Tai took shifts caring for her. However, in the months that followed, the mental torture Tai had gone through got the better of him and he deteriorated almost immediately. In the end, the doctors said he died from stress. Now Davis felt truly alone, his only other family, the digidestined was gone, Tai was the only other one who he'd known well enough to call family and the only one left was Kari. But she too died a few weeks after Tai. She spoke a single simple sentence before she passed away. The only thing she'd said in months. Possibly the one sentence Davis had dreaded hearing.   
  
"Takeru, I love you."   
  
Those words crushed Davis. He realized that he never stood a chance against their childhood love. Tai had seen to it that TK had been cremated rather than be buried among the thousands in the mass graveyards, and Davis had seen to it that the same thing happened to Tai. Now, he also did the same for Kari. In a last ditch effort, Davis sent a worldwide message by computer asking for the assistance of any digidestined children. But no one respond. They were all too busy with cleanup efforts, or mabey they had turned a blind eye on the world. So Davis gathered up his belongings and left for the digital world alone. He traveled to the peak of infinity mountain. The highest point at which all the adventure had began so long ago for the trio. Once there, he quietly released the ashes of TK, Kari and Tai to the winds of the digital world, fulfilling Tai's final request to be one with the digital world. And as he watched the ashes float away on the wind, he thought mabey now, mabey they could finally be at peace. He turned away and walked back to the final digital gate. He'd found Izzy, who had become Japan's new ruler and got him to delay the closing of that gateway. Davis had gotten a small house in the new Tokyo, and gave up TK's digivice, which had reconfigured upon entry to the digital world to Izzy. Izzy could make the best use of it as it could open a gateway on any computer. With a heavy heart, Davis trudged home to live in solitude.   
  
  
  


The End

  
  
  
  



	2. A World Without Matt

A World Without Matt   


A World Without Matt  
Created By: Jason Wong  


  
  
Note: This is the unofficial sequel to "The End of Summer". And as someone's review mentioned, the fic could not have a truly good sequel. There is also little to no digimon interaction. I'm going to deal with just essentially Matt, TK, and Tai in this particular fanfic. I've got the story spilt into four parts. Each main charater gets part of the story in their POV and then there is a general POV.   
  
Warning!!! If you really really adore TK, you should probably stay away from this fanfic. He's portrayed as a drop out. Ok, enough rambling and onto the fic.   
  
  
  
"My name is Yamato Ishida, or Matt as my friends call me. That is, if I had any friends. I suppose I still do, but they're all away, they don't know if I'm alive or not. They've moved on, along with the world leaving me struggling in the past. But I guess it really wouldn't matter. Not with what I did, I guess I'll just have to wait for my rescue. Until then, I guess I should explain what all this is about.   
  


* * *

  
It's 2010, eleven years since we first entered the digital world, and two years since the digital wars ended, since TK died. I hope he went painlessly. I'm a coward, no really I am. TK lay dying in a red cross camp and I abandoned him, right when he needed me the most. I got Davis' e-mail when Kari died, the one asking for help. I stayed hidden in the background, afraid to face the truth. I've been hiding ever since then, isolated from the rest of the world in this little roadside cafe. I can remember the exact moment when my life changed. The day I chose to die, or was it to ascend to immortality. I guess that's up to you to decide. It was mid June, Japan was getting back on it's feet from the war. A certain new leader pulled into the cafe. Koushiro Izumi, or Izzy. I was careful to stay hidden from him. He was joking around with an aid, talking technical mumbo jumbo. But one thing caught my attention. Altering time, it was possible but so hard. A person could only alter events of their life. I risked the chance he'd recognize me and made conversation which led to a final decision. I would save TK, at least I hopped I would, but at what cost?   
  
Two days later I re-entered Tokyo. I made my way to a small house where a Daisuke Motomiya, or Davis lived. Using some of my many skills, I broke into the house. I felt bad after finishing my first task. I had attacked and beaten Davis into unconsciousness, and he had saved me. But I couldn't let him interfere even if he was a digidestined, especially because of that. I used his digivice to open the gateway and entered the digital world. I made my trek to the peak of Infinity Mountain.   
  
"Hello Matt. So it was you at the cafe. I had wondered why someone would ask so many questions." called Izzy. "I'm afraid I can't let you alter the fabric of time. It could have unforeseen consequences."   
  
"How? How did you get here?" I asked. "And you can't stop me, it's for the best."   
  
"Recognize this?" asked Izzy holding up TK's reconfigured digivice. "Davis gave it to me. And think about what you're doing. No one can predict time, you could create a world worse off than now."   
  
But I wasn't listening anymore. While Izzy blathered on, I'd already begun setting up the components to open the gates of time. By the time Izzy noticed that not only was I not listening, but that I was setting up to open the gate. For a single fleeting second I saw the terror in his eyes before a sphere of white expanded outwards, consuming the world, all the way back to a single even in my life, my birth. I tweaked time so that I was never born, no I died at birth. I thought it would be over then, but I was still there, watching. Time moved on without me. My brother's birth, the messy divorce my parents had taken us through. I watched and saw the painful life TK went through because I wasn't there. Sadness and hardship, that's what he faced. Instead of the happy sheltered boy that I envisioned, I found a boy who was closing himself off. But the came that faithful day when history would change forever. All my hopes lay in Tai. He was the only one who might be able to undo the damage I had caused, he would have to do as TK's brother. I watched the incredible hardships and tasks that happened in the digiworld. Tai had both Agumon and Gabumon at his side. They moved the same as before, but much faster. Too fast, they weren't ready. Tai wasn't ready. He was so weak and tired from having to let Gabumon and Agumon constantly digivolve. And the battle with Apocalymon was a total disaster. Sure they won, but it was a bloodbath. Sora, Izzy, and Mimi didn't make it out, Tai was crippled and then the group fell apart. Only TK, Kari and Tai had any sort of contact with each other. I watched how much I had affected TK real world life. Without me, he was going to the pits. At one time in the timeline, TK had envisioned himself as a university graduate. Now, he was a high school drop out. Not even the now crippled Tai could get through to him.   
  
I found that although I'd been erased myself from history, there were still traces of my timeline. Traces that Tai, who had quite a bit of time to look at was catching onto. The extra crest, the digivice, Gabumon. These things that weren't altered. He finally put it all together and started to look for me. He found me, eventually. I was locked in a piece of the digital world. My own space with nothing else in it. We've talked, briefly, about what I did, about me. If all goes well, Tai will contact my brother today and they'll leave for America. There they will purchase super computers that have the power to generate a portal to my secluded world and the mistakes I made can be corrected.   
  


* * *

  
My name is Taichi Yamagi, most people call me Tai Kamiya, Tai, or occasionally the cripple. Yes, it's true, I'm crippled. I suffered major trauma in the digital world. I can barely use my legs, so I have a wheelchair to get around, the best money can buy. Our close knit group broke right apart, but I've tried to stay in touch. I live alone now, graduated from college. At least I try to live alone, my doctors say I need a nurse, but I rarely listen. Just recently however, I found some earth shattering news. The anomalies I'd always wondered about, I found the source. Yamato Ishida, Takeru's dead brother isn't really dead. Apparently he caused his death from the future using some sort of time altering mechanism. Takeru doesn't know of course. His parents hid the fact he even had a brother. Not that he cares much nowadays. He's a drop out, he's got a lousy job, and no education. I tried to help, but he's far to stubborn to accept my help, especially mine. Matt and I, we've got a plan to fix our realities. If we rescue him from his dimention trap, the worlds should merge and time should fix itself. I'm phoning Takeru now. I need his help. I can't make the trip to america alone. I'd ask Hikari, but she's been seeing someone by the name of Daisuke Motomiya or Davis as he calls himself. Davis is Kari's second choice really. She'd rather be seeing TK even if he's a drop out. I don't blame her, Davis is a moron, but he has a good job, and he devotedly returns Kari's affection. Something TK never really did. Damn it! Where is it he? I know he's home today. Why can't he awnser the damn phone? Finally, he's picked up.   
  
"Hello? TK? You there?" I asked. There was a grunt at the other end. I took it as a yes. But god, he sounded like I woke him up. It's three pm. "Look, I'm coming over, wanna come on a trip? Just pack something."   
  
Another grunt. He hung up. I doubt he even heard me. Oh well, I left for his apartment. He needed a bit of help so a voyage would do him some good. I wheel up to his building. What a dump, it's falling apart. I'm surprised the city hasn't condemned the building. He lives in room 36. I knock, and again, and again. Don't tell me he fell asleep again. Finally the door opens and I'm let in. His room, I never thought it could be even worse than the building. Garbage litters the floor, a small pile of raggedy soiled blankets appears to be the bed. This room is totally unfit for human habitation, He should be able to find better even on his pay.... His pay.... I eye TK.   
  
"You still have the job right?" I demanded.   
  
"No, I got fired a month ago." said TK dazed.   
  
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. He only had to work two days a week and still he missed half his shifts. Not to mention he always had a stench around him. The room's atmosphere is filled with the stench of urine, vomit and alcohol. He was probably drunk now, or at the very least had a severe hangover. Yep, there he goes, he's collapsed. A trickle of vomit is running from his mouth. It's a good thing I had my cleaning stuff with me. I'd forgotten to change the pack on my wheelchair. There was no way I was going to use the communal washrooms. I snagged my backpack and pulled out my stuff and moved TK to the cleanest bit of ground I could find. Off hand, I wondered if he'd slept the whole month by. The boxers and shirt he was wearing were easily the cleanest thing in the apartment. That wasn't saying much considering that the shirt was growing strange coloured mosses and fungus. I had to wait a minute for the water from his tap to clean out and warm up. I lathered the water up with cleaning detergent. It claimed that it would cut through grime. Squirting some of it on TK, I began to scrub away layers of dirt so that at least when I took him home, the neighbors wouldn't notice. It's amazing how much dirt he was wearing. In fact, his shirt melted away being more grime than cloth. Thank god his shorts were in better condition. Oh, well. At least when I finished he was presentable to the public. He doesn't smell like a rose, but he didn't reek either.   
  
It took yet another twenty minutes to wake TK up and get him into some of my old school clothes I'd brought for him. Finally I brought him home so that he could shower and groom himself properly. While he was in the shower, I informed the city of the dump I'd been in. I'm sure TK would be upset that the building was now slated for demolition, but he never had anything of value with him. No, he'd left it all with me so that he wouldn't foolishly sell any of it. When TK finally came out, he looked and smelt clean, and his spirits were allot higher.   
  
"Man, I forgot what it was like to be clean." said TK. "Got any munchies?"   
  
"Sure TK, let's start with an apple." I grinned.   
  
"An apple?" whined TK. "Don't you have anything less nutritious and wholesome?"   
  
"Eat it and I'll make you something good." I retorted. "You need the nutrients."   
  
"You don't know how to cook. I'll probably die of poison." accused TK.   
  
"Look, some of us didn't fail high school. I learnt how to cook in home ec." I retorted.   
  


* * *

  
"You said something about a trip on the phone?" asked TK.   
  
"We're going to America." I replied.   
  
"America? We? Hold on a sec, I never agreed to anything, I don't even know that much english." exploded TK.   
  
"Remind me please." I said. "Who was it that said english wasn't an important language to study? You'll be fine if you stick close to me."   
  
"Mabey I don't want to go." said TK.   
  
"You've never passed up a free trip in your life. Actually you've never passed up anything that was free." I retorted.   
  
He knew I was right. There was no way in hell he'd pass a chance for a free vacation. Especially since he was starving and broke. We boarded the plane for America and set off on a mission.   
  


* * *

  
My name is Takeru Takaishi. I'm a real mess, I guess it's because I have no driving force in my life. It's probably the reason why I dropped out of high school. Of course I had no job, you couldn't get a job if you were a drop out. Tai helped me get a job, but I was fired a couple of months after I got the job. I live on my puny welfare cheque. My apartment is the pits, but it's the best I can afford. I stay home allot, I only go out to scrounge food from the dumpsters around town. I'm glad Tai hasn't come looking for me, he's the only one who cares about me. I'm sure he'd have a fit if he saw me. I'm the scum of the earth. My once golden blond hair is dark with grease and unmentionable stains and food chunks. I'd try to clean up, but the communal washrooms are dirtier than I am. It's quite literally sewage.   
  
One day, I'm lying in my own filth, trying to get some sleep off this massive hangover that I have when the phone starts ringing. I didn't even know I had a phone. But it sounds so loud. It's like it's new years eve in my head. Mabey if I don't awnser they'll go away. But no, the phone keeps ringing. I slowly gather my wits and search for the phone. Dazed, I pick up the receiver.   
  
"Hello? TK? You there?" asked a voice. Tai. I grunted. I didn't want to talk to him. He talked some more, I really only heard the word 'trip'. Finally he stopped talking. I grunted before hanging up. Sleep had already begun to claim me.   
  
I slept awhile, then this incessant knocking shattered my world. I staggered to the door as my mind spins. I vaguely notice that my boxers are soaked. Must have had one too many last night, probably several too many. I crack open the door praying that it isn't Tai. But just my luck, it's him. I let him into my humble abode. He looks revolted, but I can't blame him.   
  
He's asking me a question, something about work. I awnser truthfully to what I guess is his question. He'd probably find out sooner or later that I was fired. I can feel myself dozing again as a small bit of bile rises from my stomach. I don't want to fall asleep standing in front of Tai, but I do anyway. Right at his feet, I'm in dream land.   
  
Next thing I know, I'm feeling warmth. Someone is scrubbing me with something, one of those small sponge mops, the type you'd use on linoleum or hardwood flooring. The water was so warm and relaxing. I drift back to sleep.   
  
Then it's Tai again. This time he's bopping me with his sponge again. I bat at it as I get up. I notice that I don't reek anymore and that I feel lighter. He throws a towel and some clothes at me. I change quickly and we head for his apartment. I'm totally undeserving of this charity, but it seems he needs me for something, possibly this trip he mentioned. Once at his place, which looks like a palace compared to mine. I take a long hot shower, a luxury I haven't had in over a month. Once I'm done, I take a set of large scissors to my hair chopping bach my long flowing hair. It's still uneven, but it looks decent. I'm a somebody again, not a low life nobody. With my spirits soaring, I ask Tai about some grub. But all I get is an apple, a pitiful apple. That's all I get, at least it's something to tide me over while Tai cooks something. I wasn't sure if he could cook, but I'll take his word for it. My eyes fell on a small display case. Inside were my old things, my things from the digital world. It'd probably be worth a small fortune now, but that's why I gave it all to Tai. I probably would have sold it all by now if I hadn't given it up.   
  
We ate in silence. That was when I brought up the trip. I was distraught that it was to America. My english stunk. The letters are so strange, but I've never given up a chance for a free anything.   
  
The airplane ride was horrendous. Full of westerners heading back to the US. There were only a couple of japanese tourists onboard. The inflight movie was in english and I couldn't understand a single word. Even the food was western, I'd been hopeing for one last japanese meal. Tai helped me along, while he wasn't chatting with some of the passengers, he was helping me understand the movie and trying to teach me the basics of english. I'm hopeless though and he quickly gives up and hands over a newspaper he'd picked up before leaving. At least it was in japanese. Next I asked Tai what we were going to do in america, but Tai just smiled and said nothing.   
  
We landed, switched planes and flew off again. When we finally arrived, Tai had a small surprise in store. Joe was there, on his way to another city. He gave me a quick check up and prescribed some vitamins. I was underweight, out of shape and needed to overhaul my life. Naturally Tai had to take some blows. Joe gave him a bottle of pills to give me so that I could gain my weight back. The pills were horrible and I fought to keep them away every time he opened the jar. Of course, being handicapped, I couldn't fight too hard or I might hurt him, so he had the advantage and in the end, forced the pills down my throat. We've been in America for a week and I've already gained back substantial weight. The first day we'd been in town, we were mugged. I couldn't believe it, these people were about as bad off as I'd been, only much stronger. I wasn't able to hold them back and they were quick to beat me before stripping me for my clothes after discovering that we had no american money. Than god they underestimated Tai who managed to recover all of my assets.   
  
Today, we've gotten what we need and Tai finally explained what he was here for. If I hadn't been with him in the digital world, I'd have thought he was insane. I mean I don't have a brother, at least I thought that was the case, at least until I dreatched it from my parents over the phone. My brother altered history for my sake. I don't exactly feel gratified, I mean I turned out horrible. My life was in the slums, any life would have been better. I think Tai felt the same way. He was crippled. He wasn't able to drive a car like he'd wanted to since the age of ten.   
  
There he goes, activating computers and equipment. Strange, there's no gateway as he said there would be. But I can see something's happening. Electricity is dancing across the equipment. It's going to explode. I shove Tai over and he slides behind a table. I'm quick to follow as explosions run through the building. The smoke begins to clear and I can see Tai dragging himself across the floor. His wheelchair was demolished, a smoldering pile of scrap. He looks so helpless without his wheels. I move to pick him up. Boy is he heavy, or am I just weak? He tells me to goto the epicenter of the chaos, he must be crazy, but a figure is emerging from the smoke, I slowly make out the features, my legs go to gelly as both Tai and I sink to the floor. Tai glances up at me smiling, he understands....   
  
"Yamato." I call out forelornly.   
  


* * *

  
"Yamato." The call echoed forelornly through the room.   
  
The first thing Matt saw when the smoke cleared were two figures. Matt knew in an instant who they were. He'd watched then their whole lives. Taichi Yamagi, his best bud, and his brother Takeru. But something was wrong, this wasn't the scene he had envisioned. There was no portal to walk through. No, instead he had been violently sucked through. Next were the people he saw before him, he hadn't seen anything but darkness after Apocalymon's defeat, he didn't know why. Sometimes he got small clips of TK's life, but that was it. He'd been overjoyed when Tai contacted him because he hadn't talked to anyone for so long. Tai had mentioned he'd been crippled, but Matt had assumed it was nothing because Tai had brushed it off so lightly. But here he was, supported by TK, a ruined wheelchair at one end of the room. Matt couldn't believe how drastically different the world had become. And he realized just how big of an impact he had on his friends.   
  
Just then the emergency crews burst into the room and ushered everyone out. Later, everyone had been released from hospital and were sprawled around the hotel room. Matt explained his reality, how his world was in chaos, the horrible crimes and atrocities committed under Apocalymon, and finally, his decision.   
  
"You know Yamato. Or do you like Matt better?" asked Tai. "Izzy was right. The consequences of your actions were dire."   
  
"But I got what I needed, the world is a better place." said Matt. "And you guys are alive."   
  
"Barely. TK turned out really bad as you can see. He probably would've died soon. From what you tell us, he died a hero in your time. Same with me. It's only better some ways, in other ways, it's far worse."   
  
"I'm sorry I didn't turn out the way you envisioned Matt." said TK.   
  
"I-I-I..." stuttered Matt.   
  
"We need to fix this timeline Matt. Exactly what did you do?" asked Tai. "If you'd have seen TK's living conditions, you'd agree with me. Isn't there something else you could have changed to get the desired end result?"   
  
"I admit I made a huge error, but I can't think of how to fix it or even what to do." said Matt.   
  
Suddenly the small computer Tai had in the room came to life. Genni's image appeared on the screen.   
  
"Hello Matt." said Genni. "I see you've realized your mistake and are trying to undo it. Are you ready to fix it and accept the consequences?"   
  
"You knew?" shouted Tai. "And you didn't tell us?"   
  
"I couldn't." said Genni. "Not only did Matt have to see how he affected you, you needed to find out this mystery yourself."   
  
"And I realized, but I still don't know how to fix the problem." said Matt.   
  
"Well Matt, using my keycards, I can open the gates of time and alter the past slightly." said Genni.   
  
"But would history go back to the way it was before, or would it still be changed?" asked Matt.   
  
"No, it will be changed. But you will remember both times so that you may correct some of the mistakes you made in the past. Use this opportunity wisely, for this will be the only chance you get." said Genni.   
  
Matt glanced at Tai and TK. "Should I do it?" he asked.   
  
"Go for it bro." said TK.   
  
"Do what you feel is right." said Tai.   
  
"All right Genni, I accept the offer. Let's do this." said Matt.   
  
A brilliant wave of blue-white light moved outwards from the computer enveloping everything in it's path. History would once again change.   
  


* * *

  
Matt was celebrating, everyone was. Apocalymon had been beaten, the world was safe from the evils of the digital world. But already, a new evil was beginning. In three years, the digidestined would meet a new face of evil as Ken, the digimon emperor would begin his reign of terror over the digital world....   
  
  
  



End file.
